As I sat in The Swamp last week in nervous anticipation of Florida’s showdown with LSU, I was doing a little scoreboard watching.

“Damn,” I exclaimed at one point. “I can’t believe Army and Navy won.”

My good friend Dr. Tom Johnson turned to me with his trademark smurk and said, “Why are you fooling around with military academies?”

Indeed, why.

I thought this was a down year for both Army and Navy — don’t kid yourself, it is — and that both would be hurting last week. I thought it would be such a down year that Army-Navy tickets might be easier to come by for a decent price.

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No such luck on that, but I got a package from my uncle this week that included two Army-Navy tickets. Maybe it’s a sign that it’s time for me to respect our fighting men of the gridiron and stop picking against them.

So I will. I vow that I will never pick against any military academy in this column again.

RUTGERS (minus-7) over Syracuse — OK, Rutgers, I trust you after you covered against Connecticut, even though it was a struggle.

Kansas State (minus-6 1/2) over IOWA STATE — Paging Admiral Ackbar. It is definitely a trap, but I am counting on Collin Klein to pull this one out.

OLE MISS (minus-6) over Auburn — I told Dr. Tom last week that Gene Chizik was in trouble. I was wrong. It’s deep trouble.

Fresno State (plus-7) over BOISE STATE — Picking against Boise on the blue turf is usually thought of as a recipe for disaster. But consider that the Broncs are 1-8 against the spread in their last nine games on Smurf Turf as the favorite, with the only win coming in a skin-of-their-teeth cover against Miami-Ohio. Fresno, meanwhile, is undefeated against the number this year.

WASHINGTON (plus-12 1/2) over Southern Cal — The Trojans just aren’t as impressive as they were supposed to be, and I love to watch Lane Kiffin squirm.

SAN JOSE STATE (minus-3) over Utah State — I am not sure what I am missing on this one. Seems too easy, so it probably is.

MISSISSIPPI STATE (minus-3) over Tennessee — The world has gone mad, as I am taking both teams from the Magnolia State in the same week — and as favorites to boot. Dan Mullen has these guys working it, though.

RICE (minus-3) over Texas-San Antonio — This one could backfire, but this is a pure hunch that Larry Coker’s kids have not played anyone nearly as tough as Rice. Think about what I just said, and now you understand the Roadrunners’ schedule so far.

SAN DIEGO STATE (minus-20 1/2) over Colorado State — While I am granting a reprieve to Army and Navy, I will give no such amnesty toward Colorado State.

LOUISIANA TECH (plus-8) over Texas A&M — I’ve been waiting patiently for this game since the hurricane postponed it in August. This should be one of the best games of the week.

And finally ...

Florida (minus-8) over VANDERBILT — You know, my father has always said there should be a “Bookie Poll” as part of the BCS, making the point that the connected gentlemen making the numbers know the teams better than journalists, coaches or Lou Holtz. So, here we are, the Gators are ranked No. 4 in the AP poll, No. 6 in the coaches poll and they’re just an 8-point favorite at Vanderbilt. That means the men in suits are scared to give the Commodores too many points, lest the Gators fall victim to their greatest enemy this week — themselves. That said, I think they handle business and prepare for a showdown with South Carolina next week.

Last week: 7-5

YTD: 34-32-1

— Matthew Osborne is the editor of The Trentonian and is a Heisman Trophy voter. Reach him at 609-989-7800, ext. 201 or mosborne@trentonian.com. Folow him on Twitter @trentonianozzy.